The present invention relates to a wrench for removing sprinkler nozzles, and in particular, to a wrench for removing and replacing sprinkler nozzles while the sprinkler is running so that the sprinkler may be cleaned or otherwise adjusted without stopping flow through a sprinkler system.
Due to weather patterns, many areas do not receive sufficient rainfall to provide all of the water needed by crops. To increase the amount of cultivatable land, irrigation has been used to supply the needed water. It is common in many agricultural areas to pump irrigation water through sprinkler systems which disperse the water over a large area. The sprinklers allow the water to be distributed relatively evenly over an area planted with crops needing water.
One problem which has developed with sprinklers is that they have a tendency to become clogged due to dirt and other sediments which are carried in the irrigation water. Over a period of time, sediments can collect and build to a point at which the sprinkler is no longer able to operate effectively. A pick or some other device capable of loosening the sediment blockage must be inserted into the sprinkler head to restore water flow. In some cases, the clog is adjacent to the sprinkler nozzle and can be broken up by inserting a pick through the nozzle. Occasionally, however, it is best to remove the sprinkler nozzle, thereby providing access to the inner flow path of the sprinkler. This may be due to the fact that the obstruction in the nozzle is so large that it cannot pass through--requiring the removal of the sprinkler nozzle. In the alternative, the clog may be sufficiently deep within the sprinkler head that it cannot be reached while the nozzle is in place.
While it is relatively easy to remove the sprinkler nozzle when no water is being passed through the system, it is difficult to tell whether or not a sprinkler is clogged unless water is being forced through the system. Thus, it is often beneficial to have water flowing through a sprinkler system to determine which are clogged and to determine when the sediment has been loosened sufficiently to restore proper water flow.
When water is being forced through the sprinkler under pressure, the sprinkler nozzle is relatively difficult to remove safely and efficiently. Also, the water escaping through the threads of the nozzle can interfere with seeing the sprinkler nozzle.
Another problem with removing sprinkler nozzles in a conventional manner is that as soon as the threads of the sprinkler nozzle are disengaged from the threads of the sprinkler head, the pressurized water can force the nozzle out of the control of the person removing the nozzle, i.e., the water causes the nozzle to be "squirted away". A person standing close to the sprinkler head may be hit by the nozzle and injured. More likely, however, the sprinkler nozzle will be lost as it falls to the ground.
Replacement of the sprinkler nozzle is difficult because, as the water continues to flow, the water interferes with the ability to properly seat the threads of the sprinkler nozzle in the threads of the sprinkler head. Additionally, until the nozzle becomes tight, water flows out between the threads of the nozzle and the sprinkler head, again possibly soaking the person replacing the nozzle.
In addition to being removed to provide access into the sprinkler head, sprinkler nozzles are also occasionally changed to allow different amounts of water to pass through the sprinkler. As a sprinkler system is moved from place to place, the amount of water to be passed through the system may change. Such a situation would exist, for example, when a farmer moves a sprinkler system from a field containing one crop to an adjacent field containing another. Rather than changing each sprinkler nozzle before pumping water through the system, it would generally be more convenient to change the nozzles as the sprinklers are working.
The present invention provides a convenient and economical solution to the above identified problems.